How healthy are cooking sauces? In cooking, sauces are liquid, cream or even semi-solid foods served or used in preparing other foods. Ready-made sauces come in infinite varieties for curries, stir-fries, pasta and more.
Most sauces can’t be consumed themselves hence it is added to a dish to give it more flavour, add moisture and visual appeal.
If you love food with extra flavor or find yourself adding sauces or condiments to dishes for that extra kick then it’s vital to be aware of the health benefit or hazard.
The sauce is a French word that comes from the Latin salsa which means salt, there are so many kinds of sauce you can have in your pantry to ensure your cooking is never boring however there are basically some concerns concerning how healthy cooking sauces are.
Having a solid repertoire of sauces in your kitchen means creating a great meal at the drop of a toque balance but how many sauces do you really know and how much of the healthier ones are you aware of, this article provides the healthy cooking sauces option.
How much sugar, salt, and fat are in your sauces?
Condiments are a great way to add flavor to your meal however ready-made sauces can contain a surprisingly large amount of sugar, fat, and salt and over time, consuming too much of these can lead to health issues, you can easily check out the nutrition label on your choice of sauces to see how much of salt, fat, and sugar is in it or go for healthier options.
Why is it healthier to make your own sauce?
It is not just easier to make your own favorite sauce but you can make it fat-free compared to store-bought own, you will eat a much healthier meal if you make your own recipe as these sauces are packed full of salt, sugar, and fat which is why it is recommended to make your own sauce.
You can ensure it is healthy, the necessary amount of sugar, salt and fat will go to it and you get to know exactly what you are eating.
What is the difference between a sauce and a condiment?
A condiment is a spice, sauce or preparation such as onions which is added to a meal after cooking to enhance it;’s flavour or give it a distinct taste and look.
A more narrow definition of a condiment is a substance added to food to impact a specific strong flavour or relish so a spice can be a condiment but not all condiment can be a sauce, if it coats the food then it’s a sauce but if used in small amounts to argument a food then it’s a condiment.
7 healthier sauces that are low in calories
There are healthier cooking sauces available and you can have them made at home to keep nit even more healthy, calories an fat can lurk in any of these tasty cooking sauce but there are also healthy tasty sauces you can garnish your food with and instead of adding more sugar, fat, and salt to your diet you can get nutrients instead from these 7 sauces listed below.
1. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is also spelt as soya sauce and it is a liquid condiment that has been traditionally made from soybeans, roasted grain, brine and Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae moulds. It is usually compared and similar to Tamari sauce.
Soy sauce contains a high quantity of sodium but can still be enjoyed s a part of a healthy diet however consuming too much salt over time is associated to high blood pressure however you can make this at home yourself and measure out the amount of salt you use with a spoon instead of splashing it straight from the bottle.
2. Mustard
Mustard is a simple cooking sauce with some health benefits, it is relatively low in fat and sugar although not always low in salt.
Mustard sauce usually comes as a thick paste and can be used as a dipping sauce or stir-frying, the mustard powder made up with water is the lowest salt option to go for, it is also ideal for hamburgers, tacos, rice, fried foods and barbecue.
The thickness of this sauce and it’s strong flavour means you get to use less of them than other sauces and ensure to check the nutrition label before buying.
PRODUCT REVIEW
Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce (Pack of 2) 14 oz Bottles
3. Sweet Chilli Sauce
Sweet chilli sauce is packed with sugar and states just as the name implies, it is commonly made with red chilli pepper, rice wine vinegar and either garlic or fish sauce
It also contains a sweetening ingredient such as fruit or refined sugar or honey. Sweet chilli sauce can be made at home and it;’s the most suitable sauce if you want lot’s of flavour without sugar.
4. Tomato Ketchup
Tomato ketchup is one of the most common cooking sauce, it is made with tomatoes, sugar, vinegar/acetic acid ad spices, this sauce contains 0.3g of salt 4.1g of sugar, there are lot’s of amazing recipes to go for when it comes to tomato ketchup, tomato ketchup is low in calories which makes it a healthier option if you are trying to but out those added calories.
5. Salsa
Salsa is simply the Spanish word for sauce in English and it simply refers to the spicy tomato and chilli based preparation and there are wide varieties to choose from when it comes to making salsa.
Salsa is a condiment made with tomatoes, onions and chillis and some salsa sauce contain ingredients that are not typically associated with salsa, such as papaya, mango, corn or plantain.
6. Pesto Saunce
Pesto is relatively healthy as it contains healthy ingredients like fresh basil, garlic, lemon, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan cheese and other than the parmesan cheese, the rest of the ingredients are pretty healthy however it is best eaten in moderation as some traditional pesto contains lots of fats, it is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron and it is a really versatile summer sauce and well known for its delectable taste.
PRODUCT REVIEW
Classico Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce & Spread (8.1 oz Jar)
7. Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce or Worcester sauce is a fermented liquid condiment and is created in the city of Worcester in Worcestershire which brings about the name.
This sauce is made from a base of vinegar and flavoured with molasses, anchovies, tamarind, onions, garlic and other seasonings which all gave it a sweet flavour and distinct taste provided by the vinegar.
There are so many varieties of Worcestershire Sauce to go for and quite healthy too when used in moderation.
Cooking sauces comes in different varieties and whatever the choice of dish it’s being used for, it is best to choose more of tomato-based sauces as they are healthier compared to creamy ones.
Tomato-based sauces are usually lower in saturated fat and calories and ready-made sauces can help you control what goes in them.
Cooking sauces help you create great meals with less hassle and the best options to make your own sauce to control the amount of fat, sugar and salt use.
Still on kitchen sauces, use Kitchen bouquet? We answered a very important question on How much Kitchen Bouquet should I use in that post.
Read too: Will Cooking Food Kill The Coronavirus?